…ZLP substitutes Rotimi Benjamin with the embattled Agboola Ajayi for Ondo governorhip election in October
The Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) has adopted the embattled deputy governor of Ondo State, Agboola Ajayi has as its governorship candidate in the forthcoming election of the state.
In a statement released on Sunday by its Publicity Secretary, Olatunde Felix, the party announced it has substituted former governorship candidate, Rotimi Benjamin with Ajayi, whom it says has since moved to its fold.
The party affirmed that Benjamin, who was selected at the primary election of the party and whose name has been submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will no longer compete in the approaching gubernatorial election.
The statement reads: “Barring last-minute changes, Mr. Ajayi would run as the party’s candidate on October 20.
Read also: BREAKING: Deputy Governor Ajayi dumps PDP, joins ZLP to contest Ondo guber
“The party was fine-tuning the details of Mr. Ajayi’s adoption and the substitution of the earlier candidate, Rotimi Benjamin, who was picked at the party primaries and whose name has been submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission.
“The deal is almost concluded. He (Mr. Ajayi) will be coming into the party as our governorship candidate for the October 10, 2020 governorship election. As soon as the process is concluded we will come out with a communiqué, as we are still dotting the I’s and crossing the t’s.
“The party’s decision is supreme, and we are a disciplined party and we are sure that the development will come to fruition.”
However, the Chief Press Secretary to the Ondo deputy governor, Babatope Okeowo has debunked the reports that his boss defected to ZLP to contest governorship election having lost to Eyitayo Jegede at in People’s Democratic Party (PDP) primaries.
Okeowo in a telephone chat with Channels TV on Sunday said that though Ajayi’s supporters want him to contest, but he has not made the decision.